Lantern-holder



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

'(No Model.)

G. J. .HIGGINS.

LANTERN HOLDER. No. 392,431. Patented Nov. 6, 1888.

FIG 2 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

0. J. HIGGINS.

LANTERN HOLDER.

Patehted Nov. 6, 1888.

U TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. HIGGINS, OF HALLOVVELL, MAINE.

LANTERN-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,431, dated November 6, 1888.

Application filed April .17, 1888. Serial No. 272,020. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. HIGGINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hallowell, in the county of Kennebec and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lantern-Holders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to produce a lantern-holder which may be readily attached to the end ofa dash-board of a wagon, so that the light from the lantern may be thrown to a point ahead of the horse, thereby obviating the difficulties arising from the use ofv those holders capable of attachment only at the front of a dash-board, which necessitated locating the lantern directly behind the horse, whose body would seriously obstruct the rays of light. The holder which I have designed is spe cially adapted to those dash-boards having a frame covered with leather; but it will be observed that the object of my invention would be attained by attaching the holder to any convenient part of the vehicle at one side.

Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing a portion of the dash-board with the holder attached thereto and a lantern carried by the holder. Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of one of the two parts of the holder. Fig. 3 shows "a modification of one of the parts having the screw integral therewith. Fig. 4. is a view showing a holder made from a single piece of sheet metal carrying a lantern. Fig. 5shows the blank from which this holder is made. Fig. 6 is a View of a further modification showing a holder adapted to the upper corner of a dash-board. Fig. 7 is a view of a further modification showing the holder divided transversely to form two separable clamps.

Referring to-the drawings, A represents the holder formed of two cast-metal parts, D and D, having at each end grooves e f, so that when the parts are brought together clamps E and F are formed, the one E for grasping or encircling the tube or frame 0 of a lantern, and the other, F, for grasping the frame of the dash-board B.

Between the grooves each part of the holder has a perforation, h, through which passes a screw, H, having a thumb-nut H, for drawing the parts of the holder together. In order to prevent the tube of the lantern from slipping downward through the clamp E should the friction between it and the tube prove insufficient, I provide each part of the holder with extensions E, having grooves c, which form an additional clamp, E, which encircles the horizontal portion 0 of the tube or frame of the lantern, as will be seen. This clamp E, besides preventing the lantern from sagging, also keeps it from swinging horizontally.

In Figs. 1 and2 the parts of the holder have each a hole for the passage of the screw; but it is obvious that the screw may be made integral with one of the parts, as sh own in Fig. 3.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the holder is shown as made from a single piece of sheet metal bent to form the grooves e, and having a clamping-screw, as in the form of holder above described. When the holder is made in this way, two downwardly projecting lugs or parts, I, are provided, which, when the holder is in place and supporting a lantern, pass downward on either side of the horizontal portion 0 of the tube, 0, to prevent swaying of said lantern. These, however, will not sustain the lantern, and it is therefore necessary to provide alug, J, on the tube 0, which engages the holder on its upper side to keep it in its proper position.

As shown in Fig. 6, that part of the holder to be attached to the dash-board is modified so that it may be readily applied to the upper corner of any dash-board, whether constructed of wood or of leather covering a frame of iron, as in Fig. 1. The clamp thus formed has no grooves, but is provided with inwardly-projecting marginal flanges which bear against the upper and side edges of the dash-board at one corner, as will be seen.

In the modification of Fig. 7 the holder is shown formed of two clamps, O and P, each made in two cast-metal pieces, L and M, so that when the pieces of the clamp O are brought together they will form one clamp to grasp the lantern, and when the pieces of the clamp P are brought together they will form the other clamp to grasp the dash-board.

The pieces of the clamp O, as also of the clamp P, are held together, respectively, by means of a screw and thumb nut, as in the forms previously described. One of the pieces of the part 0 is provided with two pins, i, integral therewith, projecting from the edge of one side,while in one of the pieces of the other part, Rare two sockets or holes, 7;, extending through from one of the side edges to the other and placed in such position that the pins may readily enter the sockets when the respective edges are brought together, and thus permit the part I, which grasps the dash-board, to support the part O,whieh grasps the lantern. The design of this form of construction is to permit the easy and ready removal of the lantern from the vehicle without loosening either clamp.

Having fully described my invention, whatI claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a tubular lantern, a lantern-holder having a grooved clamp at one end, in combination with a set-screw to rigidly clasp the edge of a dash-board, the other end being grooved to engage the tube of a lantern and being provided with a stop to keep the lantern firmly in position, substantially as described.

2. In a tubular lantern, a lantern-holder having a grooved clamp at one end, in combination. with a set-screw to rigidly clasp the edge of a dash-board, the other end being grooved to engage the horizontal tube of a lantern, and being provided with a stop to keep the lantern firmlyin position, substantially as described.

3. A lantern'holder having at one end a clamp for grasping some part of a vehicle, and at the other end a clamp with two sockets at right angles to each other, whereby the vertical and horizontal tubes of a lantern may be encircled and the lantern prevented from swinging or moving vertically, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES .T. IIKH iliNS.

\Vitncsses:

L. I. ONEAL, A. P. S'rnwiinn. 

